Internet of Things (IoT) networks include a plurality of constrained and unconstrained devices that operate autonomously or semi-autonomously as a collection or grouping of devices. Command and control is often distributed among the devices and may not require a central controller. Secure operation of an IoT network is becoming a concern. Existing key management infrastructures typically require a central key server or certification authority that ensures keys are provisioned across computers that may need to engage in some collaborative exchange. Such systems may prove unwieldy for an IoT network.
Further, IoT networks are differentiated from content networks (i.e., networks with a large distributed system of servers deployed in multiple data centers across the Internet), in that IoT devices often have constrained environments that lack user credentials or the ability to solicit a user credential to authenticate and authorize the exchange of a group key.